Can you taste a Minnesota spring? Phil Steger thinks so.
A new "cold-peated" method of whiskey-making at Brother Justus, his northeast Minneapolis distillery, celebrates terroir — the flavor of a place. And that place is Minnesota's ancient wetlands, full of moss, shrubs and, most importantly, decaying plant matter from past growing seasons.
"Every new generation of growth in the spring becomes a new layer of flavor and a new layer of the bog in the winter," Steger says. "Because this has been happening for 6,000 to 8,000 years, these bogs have a record of every single one. And that to me is the hope that is always coming out of the ground."
Instead of burning peat to capture its smoky flavor as many Scotch-makers do, Brother Justus leaves it raw, so the "vegetal, floral, herbal and earthy" essence comes through.
Cold-peating is one of several whiskey innovations coming from Minnesota's craft distilleries.
Minneapolis' Tattersall Distilling released two limited edition bonded bourbons last fall, meaning they were made according to the strict criteria set by the U.S. government back in 1897.
Among the rules: The spirits are made by a single distillery during one distillation season, are 100 proof and aged for at least four years. Tattersall uses only local grains in the first bonded bourbons produced in Minnesota since Prohibition.
"It's a little bit throwback," says Jon Kreidler, Tattersall's co-founder. "You're seeing more craft distilleries around the country doing it, but it just takes a lot of time."
Time is an essential ingredient in whiskey, which is why Minnesota is seeing a boom now, a decade after legislation made way for microdistilleries to flourish.
Six and a half years in, J. Carver Distillery in Waconia has completed its line of spirits with single-malt whiskey, a burgeoning segment. Its latest release, Trifecta, is a proprietary blend of three flavor-packed malted barleys sourced from Rahr Malting Co. in Shakopee and aged four years in Minnesota-made barrels.
"You're seeing those of us that love the innovation of creating something that hasn't been created before," says founding partner Gina Holman. "Within the world of microdistilleries, the creativity is endless."
Three to try:
Bonded bourbons
Tattersall Distilling, tattersalldistilling.com
Two bourbons made according to pre-Prohibition guidelines hark to when distilleries had to clear hurdles to "prove that it was a really good product," says co-founder Jon Kreidler. The Wheated Bourbon is traditional and sweet; the High-Rye Bourbon dry with some spice.
Cold-peated whiskey
Brother Justus Whiskey Co., brotherjustus.com
Even without burning peat, the organic matter from Minnesota bogs imparts a hint of smoke to this truly original whiskey. CEO Phil Steger uses words like mushroomy, chocolately, prairie grass, sea spray and umami to describe it: the taste, he says, of Minnesota.
Etiquette and Trifecta
J. Carver Distillery, jcarverdistillery.com
With the release of two American single-malt whiskeys, J. Carver is highlighting the distinctive flavors — some citrus, some caramel — of malted barley. Etiquette comes entirely from one strain of barley, while Trifecta blends three.
